Cornelius van Haecht
Cornelius Johannes van Haecht (7 February 1691 in The Hague - 28 August 1755 in Brunantstad) was a renowned Brunanter mathematician, philosopher and translator. He wrote works on astronomy, mathematics, law and philosophy and tranlated many important works of literature into Dutch, thus he is considered Brunant's most important and influential polymath. Van Haecht was also a celebrated polyglot, as he had mastered English, Polish, German, French, Italian and Latin; Many languages except his mother-tongue Dutch. Most of van Haecht's translations were lost during the Franco-Brunanter War. However, his most important scientific writings are now in the library of Grijzestad University, where he taught for many years. A crater on the Moon is named after him, called Haecht. Biography Family and early years Cornelius van Haecht was born in The Hague, as his father, Christiaan van Haecht, was the ambassador of Brunant in the Netherlands. Through his elder brother, Willem, he was the uncle of Adrian van Haecht, a Royal Guard officer, who was killed during the Battle of Niesburg in 1758. Following the wishes of his father, young Cornelius studied the law at the Leiden University. He also attended some lectures of Aristotelian philosophy, but he soon ceased them. Later in life, he wrote many letters to his brother, who lived in Amsterdam for his entire life(many informations about van Haecht's personal life come from these letters), regretting that he had not applied himself more in philosophy. In 1717, he traveled to Poland, where he studied mathematics and astronomy at the Kraków Academy. He was really excited to study at the university, in which Copernicus was educated. He greatly admired Copernicus, whom he called "the most bright mind of us (i.e. scientists) all". While in Poland, he was romantically related to a rich widow, but they never married, chiefly due to the age difference. Van Haecht returned to the Netherlands in 1725. He didn't stay for long, as he traveled around Germany and Switzerland, a journey he always wanted to make. During this trip he met many significant people of the arts and science, including Johann Bernoulli. In 1727, he was asked to become mathematics teacher at the Grijzestad University. In Brunant Van Haecht accepted the position, even though he had low aspirations from his new students. However, he soon changed his mind, as he founded the Brunanter youth "filled with desire for knowledge". After his studies through Europe and after acquiring knowledige and reading books, van Haecht started with is own works such as his mathematical books Introduction to Algebra and Practical Geometry. The University led to the publication and dissemination. In the aggregate, van Haecht wrote dozens of scientic works. Van Haecht is really notable for translating his own works in Latin and Italian. For several works, such as the Natural Perspective series. Final years Van Haecht resigned from the University in 1749 and moved back to Brunantstad. He mainly focused on philosophical subjects and translated many popular novels of the European literature. Bibliography Scientific * Introduction to Algebra (1729) * Practical Geometry (1732) * Elements of Astronomy (1734) * A Study on the Moon Phases (1735) * Mathematical Terms and Methods (1737) * The Theories of Science (1742) * Natural Perspective: Aspects of Humanism in Europe (1744) * Natural Perspective: Aspects of Education in Europe (1746) * The Work of Copernicus: Cornelius van Haecht's Astronomical Study (1749) * Heliocentrism: The Study of the Earth (1752) * Universal Mathematics (1754) Philosophy and law Translations * Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift (1748) † * Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes (1750) † * Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (1751) † * Ethics by Baruch Spinoza (1752) * Simplicius Simplicissimus by Hans von Grimmelshausen (1754) † ---- The † symbol indicates lost manuscripts Category:Writers Category:Scientists Category:Grijzestad University professors Category:Dead people Category:1691 births Category:Mathematicians Category:Philosophers